Japanese Memories (Illustrated)

This Japanese memoir was published in 1918. A short summary from the book's Foreword: The contents of this book are primarily personal experiences of a seven years' stay in the house of a Japanese nobleman, having been gleaned from jottings in my diary and such reminiscences as my memory recalls. In writing of a country so steeped in century-old traditions and of a people so loath, in many ways, to adopt Western culture, it is necessary to introduce a little history at the outset, for the reader will have to familiarize himself with certain strange names and systems that had dominated the social order in Japan without change for generations, and still influenced both ruler and ruled at the time of my arrival in that country in 1901. Since the house of a Daimyo was my destinationn, it will be perhaps well for me first to explain the meaning of that title, and the standing and identity of such an all-powerful nobleman as the Prince of Satsuma. Up to 1868 Japan had a Feudal System, and under the Emperor there was a Viceroy or Military Suzerain, kinown officially by the title of "Shogun", who swore fealty to the Emperor, and in his turn had as his vassals the Daimyos or dukes of the country, who were some two hundred and sixty-seven in number. The Provinces of Japan were formerly governed by Daimyous under the Shogun, to whom they paid homage, and their vassals were in turn the Knights of their Province, who as a class bore the name of Samurai. The Samurai of old had very high standards of duty loyalty and obedience to their lord and master being foremost. Their sword was the very expression of their soul, a weapon for defending right and subduing wrong. They regarded all kinds of trade as beneath them, never coveting gold, and, in fact, preferring poverty as being decidedly more honour- able than riches. In their eyes it would have been an insult to receive payment for any duty rendered to their lord. But they expected of their Daimyo that his soul should be that of an ideal warrior, of a brave fighter untouched by the things of this world, and for this reason he has kept as a recluse in his castle. The Shogun was appointed by the Emperor, who was given a free choice in the matter until 1603, when lyeyasu was appointed to this office. He was a member of the Tokugawa family and a man of tremendous influence, and for two hundred and sixty-five years from his being appointed the Shogunate remained exclusively in the Tokugawa family as an hereditary office. The appointment was still nominally made by the Emperor, but he was compelled to offer it to a member of this family. As time went on the Shogun became more and more powerful, and the Emperor ceased to take any active part in the affairs of government. He resided in Kyoto, the capital, and lived in complete seclusion, the Shogun visiting him once a year to pay homage as his vassal. The Daimyos lived half the year in their own Province and during the other hals in Tokio, by command of the Shogun, who resided there, and who fixed the time of their yearly visit. When the day came for a Daimyo to visit Tokio it was a very big undertakig. He was carried in a palan- quin, with curtains all round it, and was accompanied by a large retinue consisting of a number of pedestrians and a few horsemen. Read more